Tooth-regulator.



J. STEINBRUGGE.

TOOTH REGULATOR. APPLICATION PILED'JAK. 7, 1910.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

} inventor: J. Elwin bru JULIUS STEINBRUGGE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TOOTH-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Application filed January 7, 1910. Serial No. 536,884.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS STEINBRUGGE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Regulators,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to a device for correcting the irregularities ofteeth in the human mouth and it has for its object the construction of adevice of this character containing certain advantageous features, thechief among which is an arrangement whereby the clamping nut for settingthe anchor band and the adjusting nut upon the expansion arch are widelyseparated so that there is no liability of the operator applying theimplement used to turn the nuts of the clamp nut; when it is theintention to actuate the adjusting nut; and

. further to so make the rear end of the draw rods as to avoid roughsurfaces thereat.

Figure I is a plan view of my tooth regulator illustrated as applied toa set of teeth. Fig. II is an enlar ed plan View of the parts at one endof the tooth regulator. Fig. III is an enlarged View partly in elevationand partly in lon itudinal section taken on line IIIIII, Flg. II. Fig.IV is a cross-section taken on line IV-IV, Fig. II.

In the accompanying drawings :-1 designates an expansion arch, the armsof which are provided adjacent to their ends with screw threads 2. Thisexpansion arch is designed to partially encircle the set of teeth onwhich the tooth regulator is to be used, as seen in Fig. I.

3 designates the anchor bands which are intended to be applied to themolars of the set of teeth and each of which is provided at one end withan eye 4 having a plain bore extending therethrough.

5 are tubular draw rods rigidly secured at one end to the end of theanchor band opposite to that provided with the eye 4. Each draw rod isprovided with an external screw thread 6 and the bore extendingtherethrough is adapted to receive one of the arms of the expansion archwhich is loosely arranged in the draw rod.

8 designates clamping nuts fitted to the draw rods 6 and which areadapted to be moved upon said draw rods for the purpose of moving theeyes 4 of the anchor bands 3 toward the opposite ends of said anchorbands whereby the anchor bands are contracted in diameter to cause themto be closely fitted to the teeth they are applied to and their escapefrom such teeth. The draw rods are of such length as to extend forwardlyto a considerable degree from the eyes of the anchor bands in order thatthe clamping nuts thereon may be constantly separated to a materialdegree from the forward ends of the draw rods. Each of the clamping nutsis of split construction, being slit longitudinally and the bore in eachnut is made slightly less than the diameter of the draw rod on which thenut is arranged for the purpose of causing the nut to tightly hug thedraw rod at all times and with the consequence that there is noliability of accidental movement of the nut.

9 designates adjusting nuts arranged upon the threaded arms of theexpansion arch and each of which is of split construction similar to theclamping nuts 8 and has a bore that is slightly less in diameter thanthe diameter of the expansion arch, in order that the nut may hug theexpansion arch and prevent accidental movement. The ad justing nuts 9are placed upon the arms of the expansion arch in front of the forwardends of the draw rods 5 and they are, therefore, in position to pressagainst said draw rods when they are moved rearwardly, with the resultthat they impart forward movement to the expansion arch, due to theresistance offered by the draw rods.

The teeth to be corrected in position are connected to the expansionarch in the usual manner, such as by the means of loops 10 which may beeither of wire or hands of flat material fitted to the teeth andextending around the expansion arch.

It will be noted that the adjusting nuts 9 are entirely separated fromthe clamp nuts 8 by reason of the clamp nuts being mounted on the drawrods and adapted to perform their ofiice at a distance from the forwardends of the draw rods, while the adjusting nuts perform their office atthe forward extremities of said draw rods. Therefore, when the operatorhas once secured the anchor bands to the teeth they are fitted to bymanipulation of the clamping nuts, he may thereafter manipulate theadjusting nuts 9 without any liability of applying the wrench orimplement used to the clamping nuts by mistake, an act he is extremelyliable to do in tooth regulators where the clamping nut-s and adjustingnuts are located in close proximity to each other. It is very importantto provide against such mistakes for the reason that they are extremelyliable to take place due to the difficulty in access to the clampingnuts and adjusting nuts, owing to the location of these parts at therear of the mouth of a person in which the tooth regulator is beingused.

A further feature of merit in my tooth regulator not hereinbeforespecifically described is that of providing the draw rods 5 withunthreaded and smooth rear ends 7, thereby eliminating liability ofinjury to the mouth of the wearer of my tooth regulator as compared withinjury likely to occur in the use of tooth regulators utilizing screwsor bolts that extend through two eyes upon the anchor bands. Thismeritorious feature is made possible due to the rigid connection of therear end of the draw rods 5 to the anchor bands and not extending theends beyond the same and providing for the clamping of the anchor bandsby the clamping nuts arranged upon the forward ends of the draw rods tocause tightening of the anchor bands around the teeth by movement of oneend only of each anchor band.

I claim:

A tooth regulator comprising an anchor band having an eye at one of itsends, a tubular draw rod secured to the other end of the anchor band andextending through said eye, a clamping nut upon said draw rod for movingthe eye of the band upon said rod, an expansion arch operable in saiddraw rod, and an adjusting nut on said expansion arch bearing againstthe forward end of said draw rod.

JULIUS STEINBRUGGE.

In the presence of E. B. LINN, A. J. MGCAULEY.

